This invention relates to a system for generating pattern information for a knitting or a weaving machine for producing a Jacquard pattern.
Lately, techniques for automatically producing patterns of knit or woven wares have greatly advanced, as exemplified by a Jacquard knitting machine called "SYSTEMKNIT", which is a computerized machine developed by the Fibrous High Molecular Material Laboratory of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Japan. To operate the Jacquard knitting machine, it is necessary to feed pattern information to the machine. The nature of the pattern information varies depending on the type of the knitting machine, i.e., a machine having a mechanical pattern control device or a machine having an electronic pattern control device, so that signals which are adapted for the specific pattern control device are formulated directly or indirectly by suitable processes. Generally speaking, the pattern information is derived from a design developed by an artist, by using a pattern analyzing device.
With a conventional pattern analyzing device, a paper carrying a pattern (design) to be analyzed is wound on a rotary drum, and the paper is optically and electrically scanned while mechanically rotating the drum, for generating sequential electric signals corresponding to the colour (red, green, or blue) of each of the picture elements in the design. The electric signals thus generated are converted into digital signals, for providing information, e.g., in the form of punched tape.
The conventional pattern analyzing device, however, has a shortcoming in that its operation is rather complicated, because rotation of the drum is involved, and because it requires a considerably long time and a large amount of labor to complete the analysis of a pattern due to the need for a long analyzing time.